Courtney snuggled against his side, one hand over his heart and her sleek thigh pressed between his own. This was everything he’d imagined his life with Courtney to be. Except for the line of bandages that cut across her heart-shaped face. Those would be gone in a matter of hours. The question remained, would he be gone too? He looked down on his lover, the light from the hallway more than enough to see her love-marked skin. Marks he’d purposely left on her, a nonverbal way of claiming ownership that he somehow knew wouldn’t be enough. Courtney Museo had an independent streak miles wide. She also had a conservative core that would resist making their relationship permanent. He could fight and scheme and eventually wear her down, maybe, but he didn’t want to start their life like that. He wanted both of them to come into this with their eyes wide open. Quickly he covered his mouth with his hand before laughter broke out, as he again took in the sight of bandages preventing Courtney from seeing anything right now.
